Lake Does Churchill Downs

I have been envisioning Lake’s first trip to Churchill Downs since before he was born. I ordered this tiny and perfect pink seersucker suit for him when I was pregnant, picturing him at his first Kentucky Derby. What I didn’t envision of course was a pandemic- The derby ran without spectators last year and this year, there were too many unknowns to anticipate if going would be a smart idea for us, especially with a toddler. We decided instead to once again attend Churchill Downs’ lovely Mothers Day brunch a week after the derby. We have been before, and done the Father’s Day edition too, but certainly never had as much fun as we all did watching Lakey have the time of his life. If you are interested in taking kids to the track, I can’t suggest the Mother’s Day brunch event enough because you get access to parts of the venue that you would never get on derby day. In addition, it is far less crowded so you can get right up against the rails in the paddock and see all of the horses up close.

Lake is VERY into tractors right now and so “neigh neighs” and tractors combined on the track made for a very happy boy. He was SUCH a good boy all day, despite a long car ride, no nap, and crappy weather. Watching him light up as he watched the horses race down the track, wearing his hat, his bow tie, and his suit, was exactly what I had been longing for since before he was born. It rained and it was windy and it was colder for much of the afternoon, but I think seeing Lake take on Churchill Downs, a place so special to Daniel and I, made for the perfect Mother’s Day gift.